Ruger Wrangler Review: Single Action .22LR Fun
The Ruger Wrangler is too much fun for $200. We hands-on test the single action revolver for accuracy, reliability, ergonomics, and bang-for-the-buck.
PRS/NRL22/Brutality/2-Gun Competitor. Career firearms writer. Former Boy Scout
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A plinking gun is a great thing to have.They're fun, cheap, and great to train new shooters.
But not all plinkers are made the same and many of them are so cheaply made they defeat the goals of having one!
That's why when Ruger announced they were going to release a cheap version of their Single Six, I was trepidly hopeful.
Not to be held back though, I pre-ordered two of them and then spent a lot of range time with both to see just how they did--and the results are outstanding!
Table of Contents
What Is The Ruger Wrangler?
In a nutshell, the Wrangler is a cheap version of the Ruger Single Six.
However, the Wrangler isn't Wal-Mart brand chips vs. Lays, it's more like the Toyota Tacoma Vs. the Toyota Tundra.
Smaller, lighter, and a whole lot cheaper.
How To Make Something Good
To really understand the Wrangler, you need to know a little about the Single Six since, without it, the Wrangler wouldn't be here.
Ruger's Single Six is a rimfire revolver modeled after the classic Colt Single Action Army and has been around since the early 1950s, although with some changes over the years.
Today, you can get a Single Six in a whole bunch of models and shooting .22 LR, .22 WMR, and .17 HMR--and nearly all of the models come with at least two cylinders, letting you shoot at least two of the options.
Steel alloy frame, steel alloy cylinder, cold hammer-forged barrel, adjustable rear sight, ramp front sight, and will cost you around $550-600 retail.
It's a great gun, but that is also a fairly steep price tag for what most people will only ever use as a range toy plinker.
How To Make Something Good... But Cheaper
The Ruger Wrangler answers the problem of price but also cuts down on the features.
First off, no more second cylinder and as of now, there isn't any upgrade or conversion cylinders out.
Other than that though... you don't really miss out on much.
The steel alloy frame has been replaced by aluminum alloy, fixed rear sight, blade front sight, and a Cerakote finish instead of blueing.
BUT!
The cylinder is still steel alloy and the barrel is still cold hammer forged. And these are the true heart and soul when it comes to long term durability.
Best of all... this little guy is running a fraction of the price.
Ruger Wrangler 22LR
On The Range
After a crapload of ammo, a sore thumb, and a lot of old-timey reloading, I'm here to say that this gun is awesome.Period.
Right out of the box, everything fits and functions perfectly. Nothing about this gun says "cheap" when you look at it or use it.
The Single Six is 32oz, the Wrangler is 30oz. I love that it feels like a good little gun should. Not too heavy, not lightweight either though.
Groupings
If you're looking for precision fire with a <5" barrel in .22LR... you might be asking a bit much.
But for the size, I was actually very pleased with my Wrangler. It is consistent and is more than able to put shots where you want them at a fairly reasonable range (for .22LR and a <5" barrel).
However, the groups were a little odd. Ignore that bottom right corner, that was me shooting my CZ 97b... review on that coming soon!
All of the groups shot were at 10-yards, a nice plinking range.
Aguila Super Extra
Aguila Super Extra is my plinking .22 LR ammo of choice and it performed very well in the Wrangler.
Point of aim was the middle of the red diamond and it was only a touch low and a very tight group.
One thing to note, Aguila Super Extra bullets are dipped with a very thin copper coating - these made them a little tight and a little sticky to load, but really caused no problem at all.
CCI Subsonic
The grouping was lower and more open, but they were SO SOFT to shoot.
If you were wanting to train a new shooter or let a young kid have a go, CCI Subsonics would be a great option with how soft and quiet they are.
Sadly, you can't mount a suppressor to the Wrangler so that is out.
Federal Target Match
I had to shoot this grouping twice because half of the first grouping wasn't on paper.
I don't know how but these were even lower shooting than my Subsonics were.
First group was aimed at the red diamond and the first shot clean missed the paper, I rose a little and clipped the paper, rose again so I was aiming two 1-inch squares above the diamond and finally landed some shots in a row.
The second group was all on paper, but the point of aim was a full 3" high of impact. 3" low at 10-yards was...surprising. But they all fired, they all loaded with ease, and were fairly consistent once I knew the POI Vs. POA.
I'll finish out this box of Federal Target Match but I don't think I'll be getting more.
Wear and Durability
Coated in Cerakote, these guns are designed to last longer than the average cheap plinker should last. So far the Cerakote is holding up outstandingly well, although I do have a couple of scratches from where I set it down too roughly on concrete.
I've put a little under 500 rounds of .22 LR through it so far and the cylinder looks to be in great shape, exactly what I would expect from steel-alloy with Cerakote on top.
Zero marks in the steel itself, while the coating on friction surfaces is clearing away as expected.
Quirks, Heat, and Transfer Bars
While the Single Six and Wrangler were modeled after the Colt SAA, they've come a long way since then and have a number of features that the old Colt doesn't.
The big one is the use of a transfer bar safety.
Transfer Bar Safety
Quickly speaking, the transfer bar is a safety feature that prevents the gun from firing if the hammer is hit while resting on a live cartridge.
Instead of the hammer with an integrated firing pin or the hammer striking the pin directly, there is a bar between the two.
The hammer hits the bar, the bar hits the pin, the gun goes bang.
And that bar is only in place to be hit when you've fully depressed the trigger. Cool, right?
Loading Gate and Cylinder
Secondly, the cylinder lock-up system is different--how and why isn't that important or interesting, the key thing to know is that when the loading gate is open the cylinder can rotate BOTH directions. This makes loading and unloading nicer.
It also means that the loading gate isn't just a loading gate... the loading gate is connected to the cylinder lock-up so opening the gate cams a pin down to let the cylinder rotate.
This makes for a VERY stiff loading gate to open, but adds a level of safety.
Heat Build-Up
Since this is a plinker and since it requires more manual manipulation than most guns, I wanted to try and see how hot it would get and how quickly.
Bottom line--even with trying my best to shoot and reload as quickly as possible, in 100-rounds I still wasn't able to get it hot enough to be uncomfortable to handle.
The barrel was toasty and the cylinder was warm, but both were still cool enough that it didn't hurt or feel like it was getting too hot.
You have a lot of things working in your favor here, first is that .22 LR isn't super spicy. The cylinder and barrel are both steel and are fairly beefy for being a .22 LR gun.
And... it's a single action. You can't exactly speed load or mag dump with it!
Who Is It For?
Everyone.
Plinking gun at the range, great shooter to introduce people to firearms with, maybe even some small game hunting if you're feeling quick and sharp.
If you want a cool pistol that you can put an obscene amount of rounds through, you won't go wrong with a Ruger Wrangler.
By The Numbers
Accuracy: 3.5/5
The sights are very... classic. They are a little small but they do their job well enough to get by.
Compared to the Single Six they are a lot worse, but sacrifices have to be made.
Ergonomics: 4/5
A little on the small side, the grips are clearly not made for super large hands but more of a middle ground. I thought I would have more problems with them than I did and actually, once I found my grip, it was fairly firm and comfy.
Looks: 5/5
I love it. Cerakote wasn't my first choice, but after getting it in hand I'm very pleased with how smooth and even it is, Ruger did a great job. Plus everything seems to be holding up really well.
Customization: 1/5
The grip panels for the Wrangler are the same as the "New Model" Single Six, so there are actually grip options out there! Other than that though, you're out of luck. I really hope Ruger puts out some conversion cylinders or something, but I don't have my hopes high.
Bang For Your Buck: 5/5
MSRP is only $250, street price is commonly around $180--I paid $175 before tax and such. You don't have many options lower than this and NONE of them can hold a candle to the quality and durability of the Ruger Wrangler.
Overall Rating: 4/5
Conclusion
The Ruger Wrangle is a great .22LR for an affordable range toy. It’s got a great finish and styling, and it’s pretty hard to beat a wheel gun for reliability. The sights leave something to be desired and don’t get your hopes up about customization, but the Wrangler has your back.
The sights aren't the best, but they are good enough. And the loading gate is really stiff, although it has started to break in a bit.
My hold out hope is for more cylinders, but even with just .22 LR I'm very happy with it for the price I paid.
What is your favorite plinking gun? Got a Single Six? Let us know in the comments! For a rifle to pair with your awesome Wrangler, take a look at the Henry Golden Boy!
